The Killer Angels

The Classic Novel of the Civil War

By: Michael Shaara

Narrated by: Stephen Hoye

Length: 13 hrs and 44 mins

Publisher's summary

WINNER OF THE PULITZER PRIZE • After more than a quarter of a century and three million copies in print, Michael Shaara’s Civil War classic, The Killer Angels, remains as vivid and powerful as the day it was originally published.

July 1863. The Confederate Army of Northern Virginia is invading the North. General Robert E. Lee has made this daring and massive move with seventy thousand men in a determined effort to draw out the Union Army of the Potomac and mortally wound it. His right hand is General James Longstreet, a brooding man who is loyal to Lee but stubbornly argues against his plan. Opposing them is an unknown factor: General George Meade, who has taken command of the Army only two days before what will be perhaps the crucial battle of the Civil War.

In the four most bloody and courageous days of our nation’s history, two armies fight for two conflicting dreams. One dreams of freedom, the other of a way of life. More than rifles and bullets are carried into battle. The soldiers carry memories. Promises. Love. And more than men fall on those Pennsylvania fields. Bright futures, untested innocence, and pristine beauty are also the casualties of war.

The Killer Angels is unique, sweeping, unforgettable–a dramatic re-creation of the battleground for America’s destiny.

©1974 Michael Shaara, copyright renewed 2002 Jeffrey M. Shaara & Lila E. Shaara (P)2004 Random House, Inc. Random House Audio, a division of Random House, Inc.

Critic reviews

• Pulitzer Prize winner, Fiction 1975

“My favorite historical novel . . . A superb re-creation of the Battle of Gettysburg, but its real importance is its insight into what the war was about, and what it meant.”—James M. McPherson

“Remarkable . . . A book that changed my life . . . I had never visited Gettysburg, knew almost nothing about that battle before I read the book, but here it all came alive.”—Ken Burns, filmmaker

“Shaara carries [the reader] swiftly and dramatically to a climax as exciting as if it were being heard for the first time.”—The Seattle Times

great read loads of info

I thought the story and reader were very good. learned a great deal from this read

Best Civil War book

From the perspective of the Generals and soldiers of the battle. Very insightful and engaging.

Join the Battle

I have read the novel and loved it. The audible version was real and a wonderful experience.

Voices from battlefield

In this novel. The Gettysburg disaster is felt in the real dialogue. Gettysburg is the hardest battle for me to understand, as the southern troops lost so many, I questioned why the war continued. Shaara's novel is a classic that will keep Americans mindful of what a civil war is.

fantastic

I may have to listen to it again. i never listen to books twice. so you see it was that good.

Read this book, it is exceptional

If you could sum up The Killer Angels in three words, what would they be?

Honor, Courage, Loyalty

Who was your favorite character and why?

General Longstreet.

What does Stephen Hoye bring to the story that you wouldn???t experience if you just read the book?

Vivid characters. Stephen Hoye brought the story alive with his exceptional portrayal of the characters.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

It made me very proud to be an American, there were heros and friends on both sides.

Great Narration

I picked this book because it is on the Police Leadership Development Reading list developed by the International Association of Chiefs of Police. I enjoyed the book a lot and there is a lot of takeaways from both sides.

Wow great book!

Excellent book and narration is perfect. Its clear that the thoughts of each men in this story are fabricated, but the events and how they played out in real life is incredible. This book puts you next to Colonel Chamberlain as he battles wave after wave of men, runs out of bullets, and fixed bayonets. It puts you in the struggle of honor and respect of men, despite knowing the outcome is death or failure. General Longstreet opposed General Lee's plans but had to follow through with them. great read, will have me pondering these mens actions and lives for a few days yet.

Good story but slow reader

The story was pretty good and easy enough to read. But the narrator was slow.

Great all around

Despite being a wiring of fiction, it contains much truth and is such a great combination of fact and fiction to create this love like recording of the civil war.